Rest assured, the answers to each question come straight from our pages. Usually, the answer to any given quiz question will be found in a recent article we’ve run. So, as long as you keep up with The Diplomat, you should be on your way to an easy 100 percent score on each of these quizzes.

You’ll get to see your score and the average score across all our readers at the end of the quiz.

Well? What are you waiting for? Have a go at our quiz and find out just how well you know the Asia-Pacific this week.

Time limit: 0

Quiz-summary

0 of 10 questions completed

Questions:

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Information

You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.

Quiz is loading...

You must sign in or sign up to start the quiz.

You have to finish following quiz, to start this quiz:

Results

0 of 10 questions answered correctly

Your time:

Time has elapsed

You have reached 0 of 0 points, (0)

Average score

Your score

Categories

Not categorized0%

maximum of 10 points

Pos.

Name

Entered on

Points

Result

Table is loading

No data available

Your result has been entered into leaderboard

Loading

Name:
E-Mail:

Captcha:

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Answered

Review

Question 1 of 10

1. Question

What is the so-called “snap back” mechanism in the recently concluded Iran nuclear deal?

A mechanism that will render the Iran deal null and void if Iran is found to be support UN-sanctioned terrorist groups

A mechanism that will allow all nuclear and non-nuclear sanctions to be resolved with consensus among the UN Security Council 'Permanent Five' members

A mechanism that will allow the United States to unilaterally (if it so desires) reinstate United Nations nuclear sanctions against Iran

A mechanism that will allow Iran to "snap back" the number of centrifuges it operated before the implementation of the deal

Correct

What many observers of the Iran talks have been pleasantly surprised by is the sophistication of the mechanism included in the final deal that could allow the United States and its three P5+1 European allies to reinstate sanctions against Iran if Tehran is found to be violation of the terms of the agreement. Notably, this “snap back” mechanism would allow the United States to reinstate U.N. sanctions without the acquiescence of Russia and China (despite their United Nations Security Council vetoes).

Incorrect

What many observers of the Iran talks have been pleasantly surprised by is the sophistication of the mechanism included in the final deal that could allow the United States and its three P5+1 European allies to reinstate sanctions against Iran if Tehran is found to be violation of the terms of the agreement. Notably, this “snap back” mechanism would allow the United States to reinstate U.N. sanctions without the acquiescence of Russia and China (despite their United Nations Security Council vetoes).

Question 2 of 10

2. Question

The passage of which major bill(s) in Japan’s House of Representatives caused major protests in the country last week?

The deliberation process turned out to be far rockier than Abe anticipated. In particular, the discourse on the security legislation turned increasingly confrontational after June 4, when three respected constitutional scholars who testified at the special committee on constitution all stated that they believed that the proposed legislation package was unconstitutional.

The deliberation process turned out to be far rockier than Abe anticipated. In particular, the discourse on the security legislation turned increasingly confrontational after June 4, when three respected constitutional scholars who testified at the special committee on constitution all stated that they believed that the proposed legislation package was unconstitutional.

Question 3 of 10

3. Question

Why did the United States leave its Subic Bay naval base in the Philippines in the early 1990s?

The U.S. Navy consolidated its Pacific presence in Okinawa

The U.S. Navy decided the costs of operating the Subic Bay base was unsustainable and unnecessary

Filipino legislators voted to disallow U.S. use of the base

The Philippines demanded exorbitant rent payments for U.S. use of the base

4. Question

With which country did China’s People’s Liberation Army conclude the ‘Silk Route 2015’ exercise last week?

Tajikistan

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

Afghanistan

Correct

China and Sri Lanka concluded their second-ever joint military exercise last week. Exercise Silk Route 2015, likely named so for its concordance with China’s Maritime Silk Road initiative, in which Sri Lanka is a partner, incorporated a 43-member Chinese People’s Liberation Army contingent and soldiers from the Sri Lankan army. According to a statement released by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense, the Sri Lankan Army’s Commando Regiment and Special Forces participated in the exercises, which ran from June 22 to July 13, 2015. The exercise demonstrates the continuing deepening of security ties between Beijing and Colombo, despite the election of a new government in Sri Lanka in January which appeared to be less receptive to Chinese influence on the island that the previous government, which was led by Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Incorrect

China and Sri Lanka concluded their second-ever joint military exercise last week. Exercise Silk Route 2015, likely named so for its concordance with China’s Maritime Silk Road initiative, in which Sri Lanka is a partner, incorporated a 43-member Chinese People’s Liberation Army contingent and soldiers from the Sri Lankan army. According to a statement released by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense, the Sri Lankan Army’s Commando Regiment and Special Forces participated in the exercises, which ran from June 22 to July 13, 2015. The exercise demonstrates the continuing deepening of security ties between Beijing and Colombo, despite the election of a new government in Sri Lanka in January which appeared to be less receptive to Chinese influence on the island that the previous government, which was led by Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Question 5 of 10

5. Question

India announced an expansion of defense cooperation with which neighboring state last week?

Sri Lanka

Myanmar

Nepal

Bangladesh

Correct

On Thursday, India and Myanmar announced that they would deepen their defense cooperation. A joint consultative commission, chaired by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Burmese Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin in New Delhi announced a defense assistance program which will see India help the Burmese Army and Navy modernize. Myanmar has been an important peg in India’s decades-old ‘Look East’ Policy, which the current Indian government recast as an ‘Act East’ policy some months ago. Defense cooperation between the two neighbors has grown since Myanmar’s political reforms under President Thein Sein, which resulted in Myanmar becoming less exclusively reliant on China.

Incorrect

On Thursday, India and Myanmar announced that they would deepen their defense cooperation. A joint consultative commission, chaired by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Burmese Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin in New Delhi announced a defense assistance program which will see India help the Burmese Army and Navy modernize. Myanmar has been an important peg in India’s decades-old ‘Look East’ Policy, which the current Indian government recast as an ‘Act East’ policy some months ago. Defense cooperation between the two neighbors has grown since Myanmar’s political reforms under President Thein Sein, which resulted in Myanmar becoming less exclusively reliant on China.

Question 6 of 10

6. Question

What was China’s reported annualized GDP growth rate for the second quarter of 2015?

The latest China surprise occurred Wednesday, when China reported 7 percent annualized GDP growth in the second quarter, in line with Beijing’s target and ahead of market expectations of a 6.8 percent gain.

The stronger economic data resulted from a rise in industrial production, up 6.8 percent in the June quarter compared to 6.1 percent in May, while retail sales expanded by 10.6 percent and fixed asset investment increased by 11.4 percent.

The latest China surprise occurred Wednesday, when China reported 7 percent annualized GDP growth in the second quarter, in line with Beijing’s target and ahead of market expectations of a 6.8 percent gain.

The stronger economic data resulted from a rise in industrial production, up 6.8 percent in the June quarter compared to 6.1 percent in May, while retail sales expanded by 10.6 percent and fixed asset investment increased by 11.4 percent.

Question 7 of 10

7. Question

With which Eastern European country did Vietnam sign a new military technology accord last week?

According to the Vietnamese army newspaper, the conclusion of the military technical cooperation agreement came on July 9 during the meeting of the existing Vietnam-Belarus inter-governmental joint committee on military technology cooperation.

While the exact contents of the pact are not publicly known, sources indicate that the focus is on telecommunications for the Vietnam People’s Army (PAVN). According to IHS Jane’s, it will also emphasizetraining PAVN technicians and engineers attached to the PAVN-run military industrial complex at state-owned Belarus defense industrial facilities.

According to the Vietnamese army newspaper, the conclusion of the military technical cooperation agreement came on July 9 during the meeting of the existing Vietnam-Belarus inter-governmental joint committee on military technology cooperation.

While the exact contents of the pact are not publicly known, sources indicate that the focus is on telecommunications for the Vietnam People’s Army (PAVN). According to IHS Jane’s, it will also emphasizetraining PAVN technicians and engineers attached to the PAVN-run military industrial complex at state-owned Belarus defense industrial facilities.

Question 8 of 10

8. Question

Why was the BRP Sierra Madre, the grounded ship occupied by Philippines Naval personnel at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, in the news recently?

The Philippines is reinforcing the hull and deck of the ship

The Philippines Navy left its garrison on board the grounded ship

The Philippines Navy sent frigates to patrol waters near the ship

A Chinese fishing vessel collided with the ship

Correct

Out of all of the flashpoints in the South China Sea, the Second Thomas Shoal is one of the more bizarre. The atoll, claimed by the Philippines (where it’s known as Ayungin Shoal) and China (which calls it Ren’ai Reef), is uninhabitable, but does host a small contingent of Philippine soldiers. This crew (generally consisting of eight or nine) lives not on the shoal itself but on board the BRP Sierre Madre – a Philippine naval vessel intentionally grounded on the reef in 1999, four years after China occupied nearby Mischief Reef (also claimed by the Philippines). For the past 16 years, the vessel has remained there, slowly rusting away in the South China Sea while acting a bastion of Philippines control over the shoal, which Manila claims is part of its exclusive economic zone.

The Philippines is now reinforcing the hull and deck of the ship, according to Reuters, using small fishing boats to slip “cement, steel, cabling, and welding equipment” past watchful Chinese coastguard vessels. Officers who have visited the vessel portrayed the work as merely trying to maintain the ship’s current state. “We know China has been waiting for the ship to disintegrate but we are doing everything to hold it together,” one officer told Reuters.

Incorrect

Out of all of the flashpoints in the South China Sea, the Second Thomas Shoal is one of the more bizarre. The atoll, claimed by the Philippines (where it’s known as Ayungin Shoal) and China (which calls it Ren’ai Reef), is uninhabitable, but does host a small contingent of Philippine soldiers. This crew (generally consisting of eight or nine) lives not on the shoal itself but on board the BRP Sierre Madre – a Philippine naval vessel intentionally grounded on the reef in 1999, four years after China occupied nearby Mischief Reef (also claimed by the Philippines). For the past 16 years, the vessel has remained there, slowly rusting away in the South China Sea while acting a bastion of Philippines control over the shoal, which Manila claims is part of its exclusive economic zone.

The Philippines is now reinforcing the hull and deck of the ship, according to Reuters, using small fishing boats to slip “cement, steel, cabling, and welding equipment” past watchful Chinese coastguard vessels. Officers who have visited the vessel portrayed the work as merely trying to maintain the ship’s current state. “We know China has been waiting for the ship to disintegrate but we are doing everything to hold it together,” one officer told Reuters.

Question 9 of 10

9. Question

What did the Pakistani government make mandatory for government officials in early July?

The use of a limited amount of electricity in government offices, given power shortages in the country

The use of Urdu in official speeches at home or abroad

Complete adherence to general accepted accounting principles

The use of Twitter for public communication

Correct

Pakistan has recently issued a directive to grant its national language and lingua franca, the literary vehicle of South Asian Islam, Urdu, official status. Perhaps inspired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s use of Hindi on the world stage instead of English–common among elites in both Pakistan and India–the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told the Supreme Court of Pakistan that it will shortly become mandatory for government officials to deliver speeches in Urdu, whether in Pakistan or abroad. Nawaz Sharif signed an executive order to that effect on July 6.

Incorrect

Pakistan has recently issued a directive to grant its national language and lingua franca, the literary vehicle of South Asian Islam, Urdu, official status. Perhaps inspired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s use of Hindi on the world stage instead of English–common among elites in both Pakistan and India–the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told the Supreme Court of Pakistan that it will shortly become mandatory for government officials to deliver speeches in Urdu, whether in Pakistan or abroad. Nawaz Sharif signed an executive order to that effect on July 6.

Question 10 of 10

10. Question

Which of the following provisions of the Iran nuclear deal is permanent?

Iran may only use first-generation IR-1 centrifuges for enrichment

Iran may not enrich uranium over 3.67 percent

Iran will be permitted to operate 6,104 centrifuges

Spent fuel from the Arak heavy water reactor will be shipped out of Iran

Reduce its uranium stockpiles by 98 percent, keeping no more than 300 kilograms of low-enriched uranium (LEU) on hand.

Iran will be permitted to enrich uranium using its first-generation IR-1 centrifuges and only up to a low-enrichment level of 3.67 percent.

Iran will reduce its centrifuge count from around 19,000 at the time of the signing of the agreement to 6,104 over the next ten years. All these centrifuges will have to be the older IR-1 centrifuges. No enrichment activity will take place at the underground Fordow facility, but 1044 centrifuges will remain there for scientific research purposes. Natanz will be the sole facility for any uranium enrichment activity.

Iran’s IR-40 heavy water reactor at Arak will be redesigned to prevent the production of weapons-grade plutonium (uranium and plutonium provide two different paths to a nuclear bomb). Iranian work on new heavy-water reactors will be forbidden for at least 15 years. Spent fuel from Arak will be shipped out of Iran indefinitely.

Iran will submit to monitoring by international inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). IAEA inspectors will continuously monitor all Iranian declared nuclear facilities, and also verify that all fissile material within Iran is accounted for.

Overall, the technical concessions from the Iranian side are expected to take Iran’s “breakout” time (i.e., that time that it would take Iran to acquire enough fissile material for a single nuclear bomb) up to one year instead of the 2-3 months that was expected without a deal.

Reduce its uranium stockpiles by 98 percent, keeping no more than 300 kilograms of low-enriched uranium (LEU) on hand.

Iran will be permitted to enrich uranium using its first-generation IR-1 centrifuges and only up to a low-enrichment level of 3.67 percent.

Iran will reduce its centrifuge count from around 19,000 at the time of the signing of the agreement to 6,104 over the next ten years. All these centrifuges will have to be the older IR-1 centrifuges. No enrichment activity will take place at the underground Fordow facility, but 1044 centrifuges will remain there for scientific research purposes. Natanz will be the sole facility for any uranium enrichment activity.

Iran’s IR-40 heavy water reactor at Arak will be redesigned to prevent the production of weapons-grade plutonium (uranium and plutonium provide two different paths to a nuclear bomb). Iranian work on new heavy-water reactors will be forbidden for at least 15 years. Spent fuel from Arak will be shipped out of Iran indefinitely.

Iran will submit to monitoring by international inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). IAEA inspectors will continuously monitor all Iranian declared nuclear facilities, and also verify that all fissile material within Iran is accounted for.

Overall, the technical concessions from the Iranian side are expected to take Iran’s “breakout” time (i.e., that time that it would take Iran to acquire enough fissile material for a single nuclear bomb) up to one year instead of the 2-3 months that was expected without a deal.